Illuminated fire exit signs employed in public buildings and offices around the world are used to identify the fire evacuation exit routes and a final exit. These signs conform to various international codes such as ISO7010/ISO3864-1 and UL924. Most of these signs are either consistently illuminated or illuminate upon power failure. They show pictogram type symbols such as a running man, a door and an arrow or the word EXIT and chevrons depicting the route to take during an emergency. Most of these signs are required under these codes to exhibit a specific amount of illumination and to provide an emergency back-up power source for a specified period of time should the power fail. In the main, these types of signs are adequate when they are seen by people during an evacuation. However, recent academic studies have suggested and proven that current fire exit signs covered by these international standards are less effective as an aid to emergency egress than they potentially can be.
A search of issued U.S. patents in the field of emergency exit illumination systems and related apparatus reveals U.S. patents related generally to the field of the present invention but which do not anticipate nor disclose the device of the present invention. The discovered U.S. patents relating generally to the present invention are discussed herein below.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2016/0027266 A1 to Mc Donagh et al. entitled “Emergency Exit Sign” discloses a dynamic emergency exit sign comprising one or more pictograms and at least one light source for accentuating one or more of the one or more pictograms either singly or in combination, wherein at least one light source is controlled by signals from evacuation computer modeling software to assist occupants egress in emergency or other critical situations. Specifically, the exit sign comprises a microprocessor for changing which of the one or more light sources is lit according to information received from evacuation computer modelling software.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,018,290 to Kozek et al. entitled “Exit Sign” discloses an exit sign including a plurality of rugged low voltage incandescent lamps mounted on a printed circuit board (PCB) to provide proper illumination. The lamps are positioned to provide indirect illumination to the “EXIT” stenciling of the exit sign. The exit sign can be adapted for use with low voltage alternating current and low voltage emergency direct current. Because the lamps are driven at low voltage and are resistant to failure due to vibration, etc., they can be expected to attain a long life in service.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,083,367 B2 to Anderson et al. entitled “Emergency Exit Route Illumination System and Methods” discloses a system and method that helps evacuees exit a building in the event of an emergency such as a smoke event, a fire, an earthquake, a security breach, and/or the presence of unsafe levels of hazardous gasses, using linear illuminators parallel to and near the floor of an interior room or hallway to provide floor-level identification and illumination of the exit route to be used in the event of such an emergency, with some linear illuminators having directional aspects along hallways to lead evacuees toward an exit, and other illuminators outlining the perimeter of windows or doors that are safe to exit through, the illuminators normally being hardly noticeable but having controllers and energizers linked to the alarm and security systems of hospitals, hotels, residences and other occupied building structures to light up the planned exit route when emergency conditions are detected.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,499,171 to Simpson et al. entitled “Door Lock Illumination Apparatus” discloses a door lock illumination apparatus for illuminating a door lock assembly carried by a dwelling door which is adjacent to a dwelling door frame and which is in close proximity to a storm door and to an AC (alternating current) power source. The door lock illumination apparatus includes a storm-door-responsive switch assembly mounted on a portion of the dwelling door frame. An AC powered illumination source is mounted on a portion of the dwelling door frame in proximity to the door lock assembly. A first conductor assembly is connected between the AC-powered illumination source and a storm-door-responsive switch assembly. A second conductor assembly is connected between the storm-door-responsive switch assembly and the AC power source, and a third conductor assembly is connected between the AC-powered illumination source and the AC power source. The storm-door-responsive switch assembly includes a normally closed switch. A storm-door-contacting switch actuator contacts the storm door when the storm door is closed. The normally closed switch remains open when the storm door is in contact with the storm-door-contacting switch actuator, and the normally closed switch closes when the storm door is removed from contact with the storm-door-contacting switch actuator.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,839,988 to Betts et al. entitled “Panic Exit Device”, U.S. Pat. No. 4,961,330 to Evans entitled “High Security Panic Exit System”, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,088,786 to Linder entitled “Panic Exit Door Mechanism” each disclose a panic exit device for doors having in their active side vertically operating bolts extending from the top and bottom of the door and a mechanism for retracting the bolts. Usually, the retracting mechanism may be activated by using a key in the exterior door lock or by depressing a panic baron the interior of the door. The panic exit device includes a device for actuating the bolt retention mechanism which is mounted inside a semi-hollow enclosure which is integral with the door. The mounting is accomplished with screws hidden from view by a member securing the moldings. The panic exit device also provides a dogging mechanism to lock the actuator device in the actuated position, while simultaneously preventing excessive play in the panic bar.
U.S. Published Patent Application 2005/0144822 A1 to Molokotos et al. entitled “Exit Device with Lighted Touchpad” includes an electroluminescent exit sigh assembly, preferably mounted on a push rail actuator of the exit device. An electroluminescent illuminator, an opaque material and a transparent protective cover form the electroluminescent sign assembly. The push rail actuator operates a mechanism and opens an associated exit door when pressure is applied. An inverter may be located within the exit device to power the electroluminescent illuminator with an AC or voltage. The electroluminescent sign assembly is preferably removable for repair or replacement without removing the exit device from the exit door and is located within a surface cavity in an electrically insulating touchpad on the exit device actuator. Additional transparent nonconductive material surrounds the electroluminescent material to provide further electrical insulation.
None of the above listed U.S. patents disclose or suggest an emergency door lock illumination apparatus of the present invention. Each of the above listed U.S. patents and published applications (i.e., U.S. 2016/0027266 A1; U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,018,290; 8,083,367 B2; 5,499,171; 4,839,988; U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,961,330; 5,088,786; and U.S. 2005/0144822 A1) are hereby incorporated herein by reference.